That was not the reaction he was expecting. He thought they were having a good time. He sharply inhaled as he moved both hands to the steering wheel. Maybe she doesn’t think this is a date. Did she think they were just out as friends? As he parked in front of her building, he figured this would be the moment of truth.
He got out and came around to open her door. With the assistance of his large hands around her trim waist, she hopped out of his truck, careful to be prim and proper about her movements. As they walked up the sidewalk, he took her hand in his, and this time she did not pull away. At the door, they stopped and she slowly raised her eyes up to meet his.
“Would you like to come up for a moment?” she asked tentatively, the color of her cheeks growing pinker by the second.
“Yes. I would love to,” he replied, trying to stifle his own enthusiasm. He’d been in plenty of women’s bedrooms. Why was the potential of being in Katelyn’s so different? Because she’s different. Because she’s wholesome and beautiful and probably better than I deserve. As she led him up the narrow staircase, he not only enjoyed the movement of her achingly beautiful behind in front him, almost at eye level, but he also noticed how she held onto his hand as they climbed, as if he might bolt at any second. Surely she didn’t believe that. Why would anyone run away from her?
Climbing the stairs, she held onto his hand as if it were an anchor keeping him firmly close to her. She was afraid of losing her nerve, but just once she wanted to feel what it was like to let her emotions make the decisions in her very scheduled, very planned out life. She didn’t know what she expected to happen when they reached her apartment, and she wasn’t even sure she’d know what to do if things did escalate further, but she certainly wasn’t ready for this evening to end. As they reached her floor, she dropped his hand to search her bag for her keys, and he gently caressed the small of her back, which proved to be beyond distracting to her. His touch felt like electrical energy on her body, even through her clothes. After she finally found her keys and unlocked the door, they awkwardly stood in the entryway for a moment before she led him in to sit on her couch.
“Would you like a drink?” she asked. “I’m afraid I don’t keep any desserts in the house.”
“A drink is just fine. I’m still stuffed from dinner anyway. Do you have any beer?” he asked.
“Um…no, I don’t drink,” she replied sheepishly.
“Ever? Is it a religious thing?” he asked warily.
“No, it’s nothing like that. It’s not that I won’t drink. There just aren’t many occasions or events that I make time for. I’ve always thought drinking alcohol was a social thing, and I’m not really a social kind of person,” she answered quickly and truthfully, with just a hint of humiliation.
The awkward silence in the room was deafening. She swiftly turned and went into the kitchen area, keeping her hands busy with getting two glasses and filling them with ice from the freezer in the corner, the cool air doing nothing to resolve the heat of the blush on her face. As she turned to ask Clem if he’d like water or a soda, she was startled to see him standing in the kitchen as well.
“You know,” he said, in a low sexy voice that caused her temperature to rise impossibly higher, “I’ve already said it once tonight, but I’m not trying to make you uncomfortable or pass any judgments on you. I just want to get to know you.”
He bent down towards her, and she knew instantly what he planned to do. She backed up and turned abruptly, avoiding his kiss.
“Thank you. I appreciate that. Would you like a soda or just some water?” she said, cursing her shaking voice as well as his warm, exasperated breath on her neck. Now he is going to think I don’t like him! Did she like him? This dating nonsense was so foreign to her. She didn’t know what she was supposed to do or how to act. Her hands trembled as she poured herself a glass of water, and for a brief moment she wished she did have some kind of alcohol in her possession, as she had always heard it might help calm the nerves that were making her feel so jumpy.
He stared down at the back of her head in disbelief. Why had she turned away from him? He was fairly certain that her introversion wasn’t a façade, though he did wonder for a moment if she was playing games with him. Surely that wasn’t the case, as he was almost positive that her shyness was genuine. What was causing her to be so shy? He placed his hands on her upper arms and began gently caressing her to soothe whatever tension she was feeling, but her immediate reaction was an increased stiffness. Was she holding her breath? He turned her around, and saw her biting her bottom lip in an effort to mask the trembling, though her attempt was unsuccessful.
Before he could speak, she whispered, “I don’t kiss…”, but then she stopped.
He continued for her, stroking a wayward curl from her face, “On the first date?”
“Um…well, that’s not entirely the case though it does seem to be accurate at this point,” she said, focusing her eyes on his chest so she didn’t have to look into his eyes.
“What are you saying?” he asked, and then, as if the realization had just hit him, his eyes widened as he whispered, “You’ve never been kissed, have you?”
Her tremulous silence was his answer, though it left him dumbfounded. How is that even possible that this beautiful woman standing in front of him had gone her whole life without someone giving her such a simple, affectionate gesture? He hooked his finger under her chin, pressed her head up and then, with a commanding purpose, he leaned down and brushed her lips with his own once, then twice. By the third swipe, she hadn’t pushed him away, so he crushed his mouth onto hers, his tongue probing her soft, full lips until she finally let him in. The kiss went from sweet to steamy in no time. His hands held her face and then roamed down her neck, to her arms and down to rest on her hips. Unsure of what to do with her hands, she placed them on his chest and felt his muscles ripple through his t-shirt.
Her mind raced as the kiss continued. She had never made time to date when she was younger, and now she was so embarrassed by her inexperience that she had continued to avoid it for fear of any awkward moments. Now that it was happening, she was kicking herself for avoiding it for so long. But would this moment with Clem seem so momentous if this wasn’t her first kiss? As the kiss continued, she felt sure it would.
Her soft moans were making it very hard for him to be gentle with her. He finally broke away and looked down at her, her swollen, rosy pink lips leading his mind in many hot directions, all of which resulted in the same intense hardening in his jeans. Her eyes fluttered open and when she met his gaze, he was not surprised to find alarm in her eyes, as she waited to see what his next move would be.
He kissed her forehead, took her hand in his, and led her to the couch. As he sat, he drew her down as well, wrapping his arm around her in an effort to provide some comfort and hopefully allow her to see that she could trust him.
Before she could relax completely, she turned suddenly to him and said, “I can explain.” He gestured with his hand as a silent signal for her to continue. She paused for one more moment, took a deep breath, and began quickly. “I don’t think I’ve told you this yet, but I already have a job lined up for after graduation. At Mercy Heart, I’ve had to do nursing training in all areas, but I knew a long time ago that my main focus would be oncology.” As she looked down and wrapped her arms around herself, a fleeting smile spread across her lips, and then just as quickly disappeared before she continued. “My mother always had a tan. During the summer, she would lie in the sun for hours, and in the winter she kept it up at a local tanning booth. She said looking in the mirror and having a little color on her skin made her feel alive. Ironically, it was the one thing that caused her death. I was 15 when she was diagnosed with skin cancer, and it had already metastasized to her bones. It was incurable, but she fought anyway. The treatments allowed her to live for a few more years, but during that time, I was her main caregiver. I kept up with my school work, but my social life was non-existent. She died two days befor
e my high school graduation.” Once she paused, she finally looked up and found nothing but compassion and sympathy in his face. “I started college that summer and haven’t stopped. From the moment she started cancer treatment, I knew I had found my calling. I have a unique perspective to offer those suffering with cancer, because I have been on the patient and family side of the care-giving. I can’t imagine doing anything else with my life.”
“Don’t you think it will be hard to be with dying people every single day, Kate?” he asked as he gently caressed her back. She closed her eyes for a moment and enjoyed the warmth of his hand. The expression on her face was one of solemn pleasure. A frown crossed his face as he wondered if this was the only affection anyone had shown her in over three years. Finally, she opened her eyes and looked at him, a tiny glint of tears threatening to fall down her cheek.
“I’m sure it won’t be easy. But I know what it’s like to be in their shoes. How can I not dedicate my life to helping others who are suffering the same way I did?”
“Do you have any other family? What about your dad?”
“My mother’s parents passed away in a car accident when I was a child and I don’t really remember them. I never met my father or any of his family. My mom grew up in Lawton, Oklahoma, and my father was in the Army, stationed at Fort Sill when they met. They weren’t together very long, just long enough for her to get pregnant with me. He was shipped out before she found out she was expecting. I don’t know if she ever got a chance to tell him about me. As far as I know, she never tried to contact him. I don’t even know if he’s alive. Her parents left her a decent inheritance, and she worked as a dental hygienist because it allowed her a flexible schedule to be able to care for me. She was a great mom. I always knew I was the most important thing to her, even when she was sick.”
He grappled with what to say in this situation, his heart completely breaking for her and everything she had been through in her life. He finally decided there were no words, and simply pulled her in to his side and held her there. Though hesitant at first at how to react, she finally drew her feet up on the couch and relaxed against him while he stroked her hair.
A loud noise forced Katelyn awake. Her heart racing, it took a moment to sink in that she was in her apartment and not alone. She sat up slowly and looked down at Clem, who had fallen asleep holding her and was now snoring – so loudly that she presumed his snore was the noise that had woken her. She took advantage of being able to get a good look at him without the worry of being caught. His long, lean body was stretched out across the couch, with one leg resting on her coffee table. His hair, sandy brown in color, was trimmed short on the sides and kept a little longer on the top, with a slight waviness that looked very sexy even in the middle of his slumber on her couch. On her couch…she had a man asleep on her couch. He possessed strong muscular arms that, moments earlier, were holding her gently against him. Except of course for her patients, this was the closest she had ever been to a man. She certainly didn’t avoid human contact, but she had never been one to attract attention. She longed for affection and companionship, though she was clueless as to how to put herself in that kind of situation. Tonight, however, she had done just that. She brought her hand to her mouth to stifle a nervous giggle and avoid waking the handsome man on her couch. Reaching behind her, she grabbed a quilt and turned off the lamp. Carefully assuming her previous position in Clem’s arms, she covered them both and went back to sleep.
Chapter 4
The next morning, Clem awoke, slightly disoriented and unsure of his surroundings. Katelyn came out of her bedroom, her hair in a ponytail, dressed to go for a run. If he weren’t already sporting a morning erection, the sight of her in black skin-tight running Capri pants and a hot pink sports bra would have made him rise to the occasion. Falling asleep holding this beautiful creature in his arms would have been a test to even the most disciplined man’s willpower, but the realities that were revealed to him last night by Katelyn about her inexperience made him all too aware that he would need to take things very slowly. Even though they had just met, his feelings were genuine, and, as she shyly smiled down at him, he smiled back, accepting that getting involved with her was going to be well worth the effort. He stood up to stretch, and then turned towards Katelyn, who hadn’t moved from the end of the couch. He stepped towards her, and held out his hand, which she accepted. He pulled her to him, wrapping his arms around her, and, as their eyes met, he forgot to breathe for a moment, losing himself in the deep pools of green.
“Did you sleep okay?” she asked, quietly.
“Oh, yes, I slept fine. I’ve slept in worse positions, believe me. Though, the next time I spend the night, let’s just move it to the bedroom,” he said, half-jokingly, but the moment the words were out, he almost wanted to take them back. Her shocked expression left him feeling sure he’d scare her away. He slid an arm from around her waist and stroked her cheek. “Hey, I was just kidding. We can take things slow –“.
“You want to spend the night with me again?” she interrupted, looking so deep into his eyes, he was sure she was searching his soul.
Thrilled that she was open to the idea, his heart felt so full he thought it would burst as he pulled her even closer. “Well, yes, of course I do, and believe me, I’m hoping for another chance to get to. But first, let’s get to know each other. There is no rush. I want to spend time with you, learn everything I can about you. And I want to share with you about me. Does that sound acceptable to you?” he asked, flashing a devilishly handsome grin. The smile that stretched across her face was so bright and full of excitement that it caused his chest to tighten in a way he’d never felt before. What on earth have you gotten yourself into here, Bryant?
“Yes,” she responded in a breathy whisper. “That sounds wonderfully acceptable to me.”
“Good”, he quietly replied, planting a soft kiss on her cheek. “Now that we have that cleared up, I can’t help but notice that you are dressed for a run. Care if I join you? We can swing by my place so I can change and then run on campus.”
“That sounds great! I am ready if you are.” She grabbed a couple protein bars as well as her jacket and they left.
The drive to his fraternity house was pleasant, with a relaxed flow of conversation and comfortable silences. He changed quickly while she stretched in the yard, and off they went, but not before he shot dirty looks at a few of his fraternity brothers who had gathered on the porch to enjoy the view. He possessively placed one hand on her bare lower back and used the other to flip off his frat brothers, who sheepishly smiled and waved as they began to run off.
Almost an hour and over six miles later, they returned to his house. Though hot and sweaty, she looked just as gorgeous, perhaps even more so, than she had before they started. He, on the other hand, felt as though his heart would get tired of beating so fast in his chest and would just stop all together at any moment.
“Wow…” he said, after his breathing was under control. “I guess I’m not in as good a shape as I thought. Good thing you are a nurse. I may need mouth-to-mouth.”
“Well, I would be happy to oblige, Mr. Bryant,“ she said, and then she quickly turned away, moving into a stretch to avoid eye contact with him. Happy to oblige? Where did that come from? Her cooled down face was now hot again, but this time with embarrassment.
He stood there, momentarily stunned at her flirtatious side. Sensing her mortification, he came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her, stilling her movements.
“Please don’t turn away from me,” he said in a husky whisper, “especially when you are being so damn sexy. It is completely appropriate to flirt with me, you know. I encourage it, even.”
Her body relaxed in his arms, and she turned around, finally meeting his gaze. “I’m sorry –“, she began, but he interrupted her.
“Do not apologize,” he said as he dropped his arms and grabbed her hand, pulling her towards the house. “Come on. Let’s get a drink. I am dying of thi
rst after that run. Then we can hit the showers,” he added, with a wicked grin. She shook her head but did not resist him.
While he showered, she waited in his room. It was much more neat and tidy than she had expected, though assuming she knew what to expect seemed laughable as she had never stepped foot in a frat house until today. His desk was taken up with two computer monitors, and a couple of phones, much like the one he had in the park on the day they met. She studied his bulletin board, searching the faces in the photographs of his family and friends. When he came back into the room, his hair damp from his shower, he was barefoot and dressed only in a pair of jeans. She found herself unable to tear her gaze away from the V-shape his abdominal muscles made as they disappeared under the low waist-band of his pants. Feeling suddenly light-headed, she realized she had stopped breathing. She finally looked up to his face and found him smirking at her.
“If you keep looking at me like that, I will be unable to keep my promise to take things slowly,” he said, his voice a deep husky tone as he moved closer to her.
“Would that be so bad?” she asked quietly, obviously feeling braver in her attempts at flirting with him.
He cocked his head to the side, studying her. She nervously bit her lower lip, staring at his chest in order to not meet his gaze, and she was certainly avoiding moving her eyes any lower, which would provide more than enough hard evidence that he was aroused by her mere presence. He stepped towards her, expecting her to move back, but thankfully she stayed planted firmly in place. As he stood in front of her, he tipped her head back and gently kissed her lips, relieved she returned his kiss.
Once More (Mercy Heart #1) Page 3